Ra Ra Riot @ Kessler Theater, Dallas, TX

When you think of Ra Ra Riot, you probably think of the music from their debut release, The Rhumb Line.  I know I do.  It had pop melodies infused with stringed arrangements.  Yes, it relied heavily on the strings in that album.  But if you just tuned into their latest effort, Beta Love, you would have thought this is a different band.  It's an obvious change in direction.  They sound more like the Naked and Famous and less like Andrew Bird.  Not necessarily a bad thing, as most bands will adjust their sound from album to album, especially with a lineup change in the band.  So, what would typically would have been a pretty relaxed evening with Ra Ra Riot turned into a dance party.

Surrounded by ever-changing light installations, ala Cut Copy in 2009, the band played an upbeat performance to the packed room at the Kessler.  Not a direct 50/50 split, but the band performed eight tracks from Beta Love and ten from their remaining catalog.  So, if you liked their earlier sound, you were quite pleased with their song selection. Lasting just over 70 minutes, the band cruised their a set that kept the Kessler crowd moving and enjoying themselves this Tuesday night.  I don't think any one thing stood out from their performance except that each musician was on point and vocalist Wes Miles never missed a note. It was very entertaining and a pleasure to watch.  I did miss out on a couple favorites from The Rhumb Line but I walked away happy and would definitely catch them again.  Pictures of the show are below:

enjoy.